RACE FOR MARKETS

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 112, 14 May 1927, Page 6

RACE FOR MARKETS

TO-DAY'S WORLD HAP-

i PENINGS

LESSONS FOR BRITISH EMPIRE

Mr. "VV. S. Crawford, a member of tfi9 Empire Marketing. Board, who has just returned from a visit. to the Leipzig Fair and a business tour of- Central Europe, told a "Sunday Times"-'repre-sentative-recently: ".■'■ .-■■■'■

"We need a new national slogan. I have been convinced of this by my experiences in' Central Europe, where, in the last few weeks, I have travelled and discussed the future of the world's markets with business men" of all na*q°nal^i?f: J^ Slogan J woul d Si*) is: * U-.,^ rJ tlsh Go0^; Sell, and Search for Markets.' There are >»ny slogans about at present, and yet in all' this babel of voices urging us hither and thither, it is strange that we have no phrase to express what, is by far the most urgent need: ! . " ar,'. 8 "We require at this critical stage of our ■ national fortunes, above all else to be impressed with the nee&foi Wine new markets. The succes of a team deponds upon the spirit animating it as a whole, for in great endeavours it is' team work that counts. As a nation we ought to be a team, and the spirit be.hmd us should be a single-hearted resolve to 'Sell British goods.' ,the impression left oh m y mind as a result of my visit there is that all. th« omens are in our favour. ■ ™*W? h'? vo u .yeara of inherited skill ii» industry behind us. We have a reputation for commercial integrity that made Ft.W** o,** ? Bri«sh subject when I talkod^to foreign business men. But ZlZt mfSbchina in the raco for markets, and unless we search-for newmarkets, in ten years' time-we shall be a beaten nation industrially. Our rivals are creeping -slowly ahead of. us in Europe aud m South America, to give two tremendous examples. ■ An important factor in the situation is that they! L»t i?f *""• 3U- St When the C°»tinen§ is at last beginning to recover its pur, chasmg poW e r . y et ynn r a F mist I should have been greatly encouraged by the fact that everywhere people.wanted in many lines of gooto the^ British product against all others. 7^^ ™' apOlts Soods, and, curiously case"" ln -to;r s '.l found-this io lie-the .Mr. .Crawford; enumerated- remedie« for the threatened deterioration in our position, and said:— "Our manufacturers must make a per, sonal study of foreign markets. C must visit,.not once, but several times, their customers abroad, for conditions change, and what might have sold well yesterday may bo a; drug on the market- to-day. Another tfiing British manufacturers, to be successful, .must avoid, and that is the employment of foreign agents. .We must'aim at bringing our wares to the notice of foreign buyers as skilfully and resolutely as we do in tho case of the home buyers. That is, we must advertise- in every nation where we believe we can profitably do business. :-..-. . '

. "Pessimists who tell me that the iEm-i pire s day is over fill me with scorn* We arc stronger than we have ever beeu and stronger than any of our rivals mcc tiding America, but there is no doubb that wo must wake ■up to our own., strength and make the most of it Despite signs of. German recovery B found everything ripe for rapid British*! development of European trade. Tii» Leipzig Fair itself showed that this warf generally recognised. ■ ' "It was a matter of some disappoint* ment to me not to find the Britilff Em* pire more extensively represented. Besides England, India was the only representative displaying her goods, and I am told by. those at the' Fair that there were many inquiries and conid- ßerable busmess#ran s act e d. It it nett °? P°, ri U, nities as the Leipzig. Fair that should be embraced for Empire development and .for selling Empire produ«t* w °a° T^ ? ay that Briti*h exports »™ not wanted m Europe, for what are the

Of coal 50 per cent, goes to Europe; cotton yarn, SO per cent- goes to Europe; woollen yarn, 67 per cent goe. to Europe; tinned plate, *40 pw c K e nt. goes to Europe; rubber manufactures, «™3.°" per cent- g°es Europe, lliis question of displaying and adsheoruMng r"I^ JToaJtBU one wMcl should awaken.the national conscience. At present 475,000,000 people in Europa are each spending only 12s Id on Br£ tish goods, whereas less than 6,000 009 people in Australia are each spending over £10 on British goods."